Mail to the United States usually takes a little over a week to reach its destination. At press time, it cost 70 colones(23¢) to mail a letter to the United States; 90 colones(30¢) to Europe; 55 colones(18¢) for a postcard.

  If you are sending mail to Costa Rica, it generally takes between 10 and 14 days to reach San José, although it takes as much as a month to get to the more remote corners of the country. Plan ahead. Also, note that many hotels and ecolodges have mailing addresses in the United States. Always use these addresses when writing from North America or Europe. Never send cash, checks or valuables trough the Costa Rican mail system.